Rako confirms Durst inkjet value

Durst Phototechnik invited Rako Group to discuss how it is using the Tau 330 UV inkjet press at an open house event at the supplier’s global headquarters in Brixen, Italy. Based in Witzhave, Germany outside Hamburg, Rako Group is a 200 million euro label and package printing converter with twelve production sites globally and 1,500 employees. For several years it has been following a strategy to support each of its locations with digital printing competence.

Following the purchase of a Durst Tau 330 UV inkjet press in October 2013, Rako Group uses a total of 23 digital presses worldwide. The 22 other digital presses are electrophotographic. Generally digital print operations run two shifts with a half a shift occasionally to reduce peaks. Rako Group’s lead-time for digital printing is 3-5 days, with delivery of one-third of the jobs within 72 hours.

User confidence

Roger Gehrke, manager digital printing division Rako Group, said: ‘The low maintenance requirement is a major benefit for us, and the stability of the machine – I would say it’s 100 percent.’

The press needed only four service visits in 2014 and has required only one printhead replacement since installation. It requires cleaning of maybe 30 minutes per shift, explained Gehrke: ‘Mainly the printheads when moving from Orange and Violet to CMYK or if the UV lamp results in some drying of the ink to the printhead.